darlanow

If the 5 extra credits you're referring to are not nursing classes (i.e. upper division electives or religion classes), I'd definitely recommend taking them elsewhere! Red Rocks Community College has a number of weekend religious study programs that rate high with my fellow classmates for being enjoyable ways to get those credits out of the way. I took mine online from Comm. College of Denver, but there was a lot of writing required (long essay exams, papers). I already had other degrees, but classmates who had to take upper div. electives did 400 levels through Metro State, UCD, UNC, or CSU (online from the latter). Just make sure you check because I think Regis says 400 level (even though technically 300 and 400 levels are upper division)... One of my clinical instructors for peds also teaches in the Metro accelerated program. She was good. If you want her name, send me a private email since they don't want us posting names here. Good luck! Darla

Hi potential Regis CHOICE students - I'm currently finishing my first year in the program and would be glad to answer questions, give tips, etc. but would rather do so by phone (too much to type!). email me privately and I'll give you my phone number. If there are several of us, maybe we could even meet for coffee (between classes, tests, labs, clinicals...) For the basics: First of all, Regis officially goes by semesters, but not really... What I mean is that each 16 week semester is divided into 8w1 and 8w2 (meaning "8 week 1" or first 8 weeks of the semester and "8 week 2" or second 8 weeks of the semester). You will generally have one class during each 8 week session, but may have 2 classes if there's no clinical component. Classes two nights per week. They tell you Tue./Thur. but then it gets switched up some:o For e.g. in the first 8 weeks this summer, we had class every Tue. (5-9 pm), labs for first 5 Weds. (1.5 hours vs. 3) of the session and then finished off the semester with a couple of Thur. night classes. Clinicals are generally 12 hours on Saturdays starting in the 3rd semester and going through the 5th semester (but sometimes there is one weekday lab group if it works out). From what I understand, during the first 8 weeks of the last semester (8w1), CHOICE students have weekday placements because most community health agencies aren't open on the weekends. Then in the final 8 weeks of the program, you have whatever schedule your preceptor nurse works. I'm just about to start 8w2 to end my first full year. Class tonight (on a Thur. because we got Tue. July 3 off for the holiday), then classes every Tue., labs for 5 Wednesday nights, Thur. night classes for the final 2 weeks of class and clinicals every Sat. for the 8 weeks (officially 7am-7pm, but usually we must get there at least 15 minutes early to get ready). Oh - and on Friday afternoons/evenings, we will be required to go to the hospital to get out patient assignments so we can have med cards and care plans ready for the next morning... We didn't have to do this during OB rotation, because it's likely the patient you see Fri. won't be there on Sat. To make up for that, we had a lot of "front end" work in the class with detailed clinical and medication guides to be completed in weeks 1 and 2 of class. Is this helping at all or am I scaring you to death??!! I write the online student journal/blog for the CHOICE program and you may want to take a look at that. Sorry I'm not so up-to-date: it's been a rough 2007 for my family. Overall, I like the program. There are definitely some things I don't like - which I definitely discuss with the profs, our chairperson, etc. and which I include on my (signed!) evaluations. The classes ahead of you are trying to make it better not only for ourselves, but also for those that come after. Must go and finish reading the respiratory chapters before tonight's med-surg class... Darla

Hi - I'm currently in the CHOICE program at Regis and thought I'd comment on the requirement for religious studies classes Regis is a Jesuit university and spirituality is woven throughout the program (e.g. service learning components to most classes). Because of that, they do require 6 hours of religious studies for admission. However, you have latitude as to what religion classes to take (they do not have to be Catholic, for instance). Just check to make sure they'll "count" - my Eastern Philosophy classes didn't even though they cover the same belief systems as the Eastern Religions class I took to satisfy the requirements!! If anyone is considering Regis, you might want to check out some of the Religion classes at Red Rocks Community College - much cheaper than Regis and people enjoyed them a lot (esp. Religion in Film and Native American Spirituality). I took mine online through Community College of Denver and it's A LOT of writing (papers and extensive essay exams, along with frequent participation in the discussion boards). I, too, checked out Metro's program in it's infancy. Loved the price, but couldn't swing the "no working while in school" part. That's why I'm doing CHOICE instead (2 year nights and weekends program for people who are working in the field). Good luck and good finances no matter what you end up doing! Darla

I'm a nursing student (when do I ever get to sleep again??!) with a 20 year history as a clincial social worker. Because of school, I'm only doing my private practice right now, but have worked either full- or part-time with agencies for most of my career. I've heard the arguments about not having malpractice insurance, but I don't think they hold water. 1. People do not usually investigate whether or not you have it before filing a grievance or lawsuit, 2. malpractice insurance not only comes into play with clients suing you, it is also there to handle issues with state boards, etc. and 3. who is it really up to to protect your interests? A lawyer on the board of one of the agencies I first worked for after grad school said she thought the agency's policy of telling employees they were covered and didn't need additional malpractice insurance was off-base. As she pointed out, if push comes to shove, the agency will protect itself first and the malpractice lawyers will protect the policy holder. While I've never been grieved or sued (knock on wood or do whatever ritual will help!), I've seen the turmoil it can cause by witnessing co-workers go through it. As someone above pointed out, the cost is reasonable - and I'm for ANYTHING that will help me sleep a little better:lol2: Off to study for an exam... Darla

CONGRATULATIONS on you new baby!! This has been a great thread in terms of discussion, but the end goal for all of us is healthy baby, happy parents. YOU DID IT:biggringi Darla

I love the wink about the cost... There's a commercial out right now on the radio that says something like, "And Regis is not as expensive as you'd think..." Even my daughter (age 10) now replies to it (something like, "Oh huh" or "what are those people thinking??!) Just had my first week of classes and am impressed and loving it...might be another story at the end of the semester.:rotfl: Darla

I am all for people (men, women, gay, straight...) enjoying sex AND being responsible. To me, that means using birth and STD control methods, which could include condoms, BC pills, the sponge, IUDs etc. and Plan B. Might some people use these things "irresponsibly"? I guess so - but it's not as irresponsible as using nothing! As a social worker for more than 20 years, I've seen what can happen when people have children when they're not ready. (I know, MANY people who became pregnant unintentionally are great parents. Unfortunately, others aren't - and that fact doesn't make them refrain from sex.) I say yea for Plan B and am all for mandating that pharmacies carry and distribute it. (Thank you to the poster above who pointed out our double standard about men enjoying and being encouraged to have sex and women being judged for it. I, too, wonder why it is seen as legitimate to cover a $10 viagra tablet, but not contraceptives. I used to get steamed up every time I had to pay the full price for my BC pills because insurance didn't cover them!) Darla

Oops, didn't even consider that a problem since she's in a public position. I won't do it again! Darla

I'd call admissions and ask her this question (or go to one of the monthly informational sessions and ask it there). Here's a link with the contact info http://www.regis.edu/regis.asp?sctn=adm&p1=sh&p2=cntct I start CHOICE next week (I'm very excited!) even though my job isn't directly in a medical setting; I do out-client psychotherapy and teach classes as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice. I also took CNA and EMT-Basic classes and got certified in both before applying (mainly to see if I REALLY had an interest in the medical field and wanted to spend the time and money to get yet another degree in mid-life...), but it seemed what they were looking for was someone who had at least an inkling of what healthcare involves and can handle the patient interaction part. (It is my understanding that CHOICE started as a series of partnerships with local facilities who wanted to offer higher education opportunities for the staff they already had. I'm sure part of the requirement for employment in the healthcare setting was due to those arrangements. It was only a couple of years ago that it became university based and not affiliated with various hospital systems.) Good luck! Darla

I, too, am in a state of anticipation (the positive kind) about starting Regis...I'm in the CHOICE program (nights and weekends for 2 years) starting in less than 3 weeks and I CAN'T WAIT!!! I got the list of things to do in early June (approx. 2.5 months before start date). Tells you about immunizations, physical, financial aid forms, CPR requirements, etc. Then about a month later, got info on the required background check. A couple of weeks ago, I got the invitation to orientation which is held 2 weeks for the beginning of class. YEA, I'm so ready to go ask all my questions and find out about books and all the other "back to school" stuff. I'm going to be a "student blogger" for the program so that will be a fun way to document the fun-filled ride through nursing school I am also so looking forward to meeting all my classmates. Only 18 more days to go! Darla

I had my daughter without any medications after 29 hours of labor and would do it again. Like one of the above posters, I liked being in touch with all of it; I felt in constant communication with my body and the baby. Yes, it was the most pain I've ever experienced, but it was bearable. Plus I got to be up and around as I labored and very soon after her birth. I called my first nurse "the nazi" (she wanted to control the whole situation and would have were I not such an assertive type with a supportive husband), but luckily her shift ended not too long after I entered the hospital. Then I got assigned a nurse who liked working with the natural deliveries and she and my doc both had the approach that "you know what interventions are available - we won't keep offering, but you're free to ask for them." Yea - letting the patient be in control as much as possible and make decisions based on her needs! I'm with the majority of the posters here: women need to be informed of the possible benefits and risks of the various interventions (or lack thereof) and make decisions based on their own particular situation and needs. Having said that, I definitely felt like I was swimming against the tide by going natural; there was a definite push by many people (medical and lay alike) to "get the epidural." I can't count the number of times I heard how crazy it was to want to have my daughter without drugs or to be given the old "you wouldn't dream of getting a tooth filled without novocaine, that would be stupid" remark. (And I have, indeed, had several fillings without drugs because the side effects for me are worse than the pain.) Make the decision based on what fits best for you and be prepared to make changes if necessary (I wanted natural, but would have done whatever necessary to get my baby here alive and well...) Healthy baby, healthy mom - isn't that the goal we all share? Darla

CONGRATULATIONS!! We're both nursing class of 2008 - good luck with that and your new job.:balloons: Darla

Darla checking in... down 1.8 lb, but that may be b/c period over rather than any excellent work on my part. I have been watching portions and asking myself, "Are you really hungry or eating for another reason?" I had a religion paper to write (pre-requisite for Regis Univ., a Jesuit institution) and often use food as an avoidance tactic. I substituted sex instead...:yelclap: My husband's taken to asking, "Want to engage in a little avoidance??" Darla, still singing, but hope not to be soon... (from Queer as Folk: After seeing Ted eat 4 power bars, Emmett asks, "Do you know the number of carbs in those things - not to mention the calories??" Ted: "So - I'll just burn em off" Emmett: "Honey, you'd have to go up in flames!" Brian: "Let's put it this way... If you start singing, it's all over")

For my program (Regis, Denver CO), not only was a background check required, but a physical and, of course, those immunization cards. Since I was born in the dark ages before parents kept such tidy records, I've had to do a bit of sleuth work, along with some titres and booster shots. At least it was entertaining for my doctor - "Oooh, we usually see these on the 18 year olds..." (She and I are of similar age and have a bantering relationship, so it was all in fun.) She also asked if I'd be needing a summer camp physical I also love the fact that I've been through 4 PPD (TB screens) in the past year - CNA and EMT programs, nursing school, and a volunteer spot at the hospital have each required one that was not more than 90 days old and I seem to get there on day 92... Darla

Most of us probably aren't watching it for the medicine... I saw an episode of "The Critical Hour" on cable recently in which the ER doc was saying, "it's the nurses that run things here... we could get by if one of our ER docs wasn't here, but let one of the nurses be gone and it woulen't work." My husband has asked if I think I'm going to like being a nurse instead of a doctor (I start school in August). Since this show matched what I observed in the ER as an EMT student, I told him about it. Those ambulance doors opened and boom, boom, boom, the nurses were all over it. One doc said to me, "this is the part where I just stay out of the way..." and then he went in when it was time. (Besides, I don't want the life of a doctor... unless it's a radio show kind and I can be the anti-Dr. Laura! I'm a clinical social worker/psychotherapist now and could whip her psychological butt. Of course, most people off the street with common sense could do that!)